In the intriguing realm of portal fantasies, there resides certain tried and tested story beats that many a commoner would be familiar with – the unsuspecting everyman hero and their elusive love interest, a doorway leading to the unknown and fantastical, the inevitable separation of the protagonist and their object of affection by some all-powerful menace, and the hero’s inevitable arsenic-laced rescue mission, laden with flamboyantly-dressed sidekicks and inexplicably obtained magical prowess. And of course, right at the very end, the two destined souls reunite in a mushy twist of fate, painting the terrifying and grotesque canvas of warfare and violence with the cherubic hues of victorious love. Seems like standard operating procedure for a fantasy saga, yes?We have seen a tidal wave of this narrative formula being married with the overwhelming expanse of ‘isekai’ fables in Japanese manga and anime, where the hero often finds themselves imprisoned inside a video game or waking up from the slumber of death, knee-deep in an alien world. All piteous earthly ties shrugged off, our hero sets forth exploiting their unprecedented wisdom in this new realm, conveniently making room for a female harem and a power level that would turn a Dragon Ball Z Saiyan green with envy.

Enter ‘Kairos’ by the French cartoonist, Ulysse Malassagne – an addition to the burgeoning list of portal fantasies with quite an exceptional narrative twist. The tale commences predictably with meek Nills accompanying his decidedly dominant girlfriend Anaelle to her rustic childhood home. Anaelle longs for independence from her compulsively controlling family, while Nills yearns for a deeper bond with her.

They barely manage to attend to pleasantries when a portal rips open their pastoral idyll, ejecting an unlikely clique of dragons who promptly kidnap Anaelle and retreat into the unknown. Stepping into the hero’s boots, Nills launches into a daring pursuit of his abducted love through the portal. Despite warning apparitions cautioning him about the possible ramifications – Anaelle’s forsaken obligations, battles he is ill-equipped to fight, and cultural nuances he doesn’t understand – Nills holds onto his steadfast resolve to save Anaelle from her scaly captors. It’s your good old knight-in-cotton armor narrative so far, isn’t it?

The storyline acutely critiques Nills’ affections for Anaelle, examining the difference between a loving relationship and an unhealthy obsession, resulting in a potent commentary about the dangers of unrequited love and good intentions gone awry. As Nills ventures into this unfamiliar world, transforming ever so gradually into a creature that mirrors the menacing dragons he is set on eradicating, the story subtly questions the romanticizing of violence and risk-taking in traditional hero epics.

Taking an unorthodox divergent path at its climax, Kairos looks at the conventions of portal fantasies through a distinctive, very revealing lens. While Nills is transformed beyond recognition and embarks on a dragon-slaying crusade in his lust to rescue Anaelle, he is woefully unaware that Anaelle has other plans. Accepting her role as the ruler of the dragon kingdom, she chooses to work on fixing the deep-seated issues in her realm, rather than awaiting rescue.

With the conclusion of ‘Kairos,’ the reader is left pondering over the painfully human passion of love that verges on insanity, the inherent perils of making assumptions in personal and romantic relationships, and the importance of self-reflection before charging headlong into a quest for justice or love. As you tread the road to vanquish the world’s dragons, incline your gaze inwards first; you might find a few lurking in the recesses of your own psyche.